I was very lucky to asked to do some photography for the guys at It’s Skin Uk. i have loved this brand for ages so it was quite special to be asked to do some social imagery for them.

Not only do these product pack a nutritional punch for your skin, but they have some of the best K-beauty packaging in bright colours with a quirky clinical edge.

For the images, i wanted to make the most of the colours and go really bright and pop-y with them.

Below is a selection of the images produced.

Colourful Product Photography

What could be better than working with a great creative team? Working with LOADS of creative teams.

That’s what i got the pleasure of doing this year, working with Mukhtar Rehman Hairstylist for his tutor group. Four teams of Hair Stylists, Make up artists and Models got together for this epic shoot out.

Asian Bridal Photography in Bradford

I would say that Bradford is the UK home of Asian Bridal Couture (Though i may be a bit biased, i was born there.) We were lucky enough to have amazing gowns and jewellery donated for the shoot by Zaibunissa Bradford. Check out the beautiful headwear.

Choosing your Products for photography

Perhaps you are a startup with a single or small product offering, or perhaps you are a large product ranges. You will need to choose your products to match your brand identity, marketing goals and stock levels. This goes hand in hand with the next section….

Finding your photography Inspiration

Using google, pinterest or magazines, have a look for images which have the same look that you want. Research what competitors are doing and find similar product offerings to see how they are being represented. Your product ofefering should feed into your moodboard, and your moodboard should inform your product choices if you have a large offering to choose from.

If you are really stuck on what sort of look you should be going for, then please get in touch and i can help you with your concepts.

Photography Props and Backgrounds

Your moodboard will help give you an idea of what kind of backgrounds and props you should be using. I have a wide selection of background textures, and boards including, tiles, wooden textures and coloured cards, along with many unbranded props.

You will want to choose props which eventuate your concept, work alongside the chosen backgrounds, and tie in to your chosen colour scheme.

Photoshoot Locations

I have a small studio which is perfectly catered to shooting lifestyle product images, and ecommerce work. I also have beautiful outdoor areas, with a grassed area, an old barn, a vintage petrol pump and an orchard – all of which give great textures for rustic projects.

However, if you have large volumes, heavy items or you would prefer to shoot at your own location then i can travel to you.

If you are wanting to shoot on location but you dont have one yourself, then please get in touch and i will be happy to recommend some excellent location agencies.

Also, you may be surprised to discover that many Air Bnb’s are more than happy to rent out their properties for photoshoots.

Photoshoot Costs

A product photoshoot can take 30minutes to a week or even month, so it’s nearly impossible to give full costings for shoots without having all the details in place. Check out my blog post with a little experiment about Why Price Matters in Photography.

I do, however, have a very transparent costing format so my clients can be safe in the knowledge that they are getting a good bang for their buck.

If you would like to get in touch to discuss your potential product photography project then head over the the contact form or drop an email to: hello@bryonyphotography.com

We have already discussed the importance of the time spent on photography, and how the cost of a photography service is directly proportionate to the amount of time spent. If you haven’t read it, then head over to the post here.

Now that you’ve had a chance to read over how price and time spent effects the quality of the imagery produced, i want to discuss how this also correlates specifically to the retouching side of image making.

What is Post-Production?

Retouching is a complex process which involves:

• Asset management and storage; Folder Structures, Data Storage, Filenames etc.
• Pre-touching; Using a Raw Converter Software to colour grade and adjust the images before the retouching stage.
• Retouching; This can be anything from a light cleanup, to an extensive project retouch depending on the level required by the client.
• Deliverables; Formatting the deliverable imagery to the clients specification

As you can see, even for a simple retouching project, there are already quite a lot of steps to take in order to ensure that a quality product is delivered.

Here is an example of one image throughout the stages of retouching

• Camera
• Lightroom
• Photoshop Retouch

Different Levels of Retouching

Now i’m not going to go into the many different genres of imagery which in turn lend themselves towards different styles of retouching. However, i am going to briefly discuss the premise of Retouching Workflow, and how different workflow patterns can influence the outcome of a retouch.

Here is a comparison between two retouched images. The first image here has been retouched using a Split Frequency Technique, which is a thorough but fast way of retouching skin to be smooth whilst retaining some semblance of skin texture. The second image has been retouched using a dodge and burn technique, which is a lengthier more manual process which retains even more skin detail and gives a much more premium feel, and has also had extensive hair repair done to smooth all the flyaways.

The first image took 15mins, the second took a full day.

From a distance the result of these two different processes do not appear wildly different, but the closer inspection image really does show the difference in quality between the two. The first image appears doll like and smooth despite the texture retention, whilst the second gives a much more natural and realistic finish, more akin to what you would see in magazine.

High-End Retouching

the term “High-End Retouching is thrown about a lot in this industry, and has almost become a bit of a buzz-word because it’s what freelancers believe a client wants. In reality, this second example using the dodge and burn technique is what the industry would consider to be a High-End retouch and it takes a long time to achieve, which in turn comes at a cost. For most uses, the split frequent style of retouching would be perfectly sufficient. However, if you are expecting a High-End retouch, then go into this with your eyes wide open and keep the following in mind:

• Many photographers / retouchers that say they offer High-End Retouching are just offering standard retouching.
• Really High-End Retouching will cost more, be sure to factor this into your budget, and keep in mind that any freelancer offering High-End Services for low budget prices will not give you the desired result.
• High-End Retouching is mostly necessary for Beauty, Still Life and High End Fashion. The genres can normally get away with standard retouching.

Remember that you can go to a nice restaurant, that has a great Chef but you won’t get a Fillet Mignon for the price of a Chuck Steak.

Get in touch using our contact form to discuss your Beauty Project Requirements.

I have been a photographer in the UK fashion industry for just over 10 years. Having shot all over the UK for various brands and retailers across the nation, but I do have some of my favourite locations to shoot in. So here is a rundown of my favourite towns to shoot in. 

Fashion Photographer in Leeds 

Leeds is my home town, so I may be a little biased, but I love working in leeds. Leeds gave me my start in fashion photography working with the arcadia group on Topshop, Evans and Dorothy Perkins waaay back in 2009, so I have a big soft spot for this town. Also, there is some fab bars and night spots in leeds, so it a cracking place to have a cheeky after shoot beer! 

Athleisure and Sportswear Photographer in Central London

I’ve shot many campaigns for different brands in central London, but one of my top faves is this Puma campaign shot in the entrance to the Emirates stadium in Holloway. 

Specialist Sport Photographer in Northumbria

We get up to a lot of weird stuff as photographers, but this one nearly took the biscuit. Standing in waist level river water, wearing WADERS, tentatively holding thousands of pounds worth of equipment in a pretty strong current. Robson was a Gentleman though… not gonna lie… bit of a crush. 

Model Photographer in Chichester

I had the joy of visiting Chichester for the first time in 2019 to shoot a handful of models for Alchemy Vip

Fashion Photography in Manchester

Manchester is the home of fashion in the north, and has the densest population of photographic locations and studios and model agencies north of London. I love the team at Industry Models and have shot a huge percentage of their models, so if you’re looking to book a northern shoot then get in touch! 

Fashion Brand Photography in Central London

Last Christmas I had the joy of touring round Central London, shooting a load of different properties and locations for the House of Fraser Christmas Campaign. I have spent a lot of my 10 years in central London, so if you’re curious about any of the locations of the photography in my portfolio then just get in touch , I am happy to advise clients and peers alike. Here is a london skyline shot from a fashion campaign in Piccadilly.

Equestrian Fashion Photography in Nottingham

I currently live near Nottingham, and am surrounded by some of the most beautiful and lush countryside and quirky little towns. The midlands really is such a wonderful place for campaign photography but is often overlooked. This shot was taken near the stables at Newstead Abbey with model and presenter Georgia Jones.

Streetwear Photographer in Southhampton

Who would have thought that Southampton had this little gem of a location hiding away in its university. This is not open to the public, and must be hired privately, but its such a fab little space to create something a bit otherworldly like this streetwear shoot for Fabric. 

With the growth of social media, the world of cosmetics has boomed. Where before there were a handful of big brands, mostly designer names that had captured the market, now you have multitudes of online insta savvy startups and behemoths who have piqued our intrigue, captured our imaginations and filled our social feeds. 

Beauty and cosmetic campaigns used to be nipping at the heels of fashion shoots, always a tag along to the main event – but not now. New brands have embraced their own unique identities and with that have expanded a previously quite small niche in photography. 

Not every photographer is right for cosmetic and beauty work. Without wanting to sounds too much like Liam Neeson, it takes a certain set of skills…. a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career , skills that make me a nightmare for people like you….. oops no, I’ve gone full Neeson. My point being that as a client you need to choose your Cosmetic Photographer carefully.

Cosmetics Photography

Cosmetic Photography in itself is not wildly different from still life / standard product photography. However, there are a few seemingly minor differences which can be the make or break of a cosmetics photoshoot. 

Cosmetics are small, smaller than most still life products which you would shoot. They also more often than not, have some sort of shiny, or metallic finish somewhere on them. Cosmetics are very delicate and require precision handling. Cosmetic companies rely very heavily on the imagery being colour correct and often the shades and tones only have minute differences between products.

All of these elements add up to cosmetics being a tricky animal to photograph for a novice. 

The Cosmetic Photographer

The experienced cosmetic photographer understands the attributes of the products as laid out in the previous paragraph and knows how to use these to their advantage. Experienced cosmetic photographers will be comfortable using very small tight lighting setups, using flags and bounces to shape reflections on the high shine areas and will have the fine motor skills of a bomb disposal guy. 

Cosmetic Photography Kit

Cosmetics tend to be pretty small, and you need the correct kit to photograph tiny stuff. Macro lenses, decent resolution cameras, plenty of lighting to get those shaped reflections. These, along with a whole host of clips, drips, papers, crafting tools, paints, mica powders, pipettes, to name a few items for the styling and handling mean that its quite a niche product type to prepare for shooting. 

Cosmetic Photography Styling for Swatches

Styling swatches is not something which you can be naturally skilled at, it take time and practice to get smudges, crumbles and splodges to land in an appealing way. This is not something which just happens on it’s own. Now, yes, you have the option on a big shoot to hire a product stylist who will be adept at this, but what if you are just a startup and don’t have the budget for that kind of additional cost. Hiring a cosmetic photographer means that you can rest safe in the knowledge that your photographer has experience with creating aesthetically attractive shapes with powders and creams, all done (using the afformention tools and tricks) on transparent film so you can easily change the background. 

Cosmetic Photography UK

One of the great things about cosmetic photography is that the products are so easily shipped worldwide, so you can source a photographer anywhere in the world. If you’re looking to keep shipping costs down a little – Royal Mail do a small package 2^nd class (its actually massive… not small at all) for only £3! No more expensive courier fees, or having to hire London studios for your photography. You can just ship them to a remote photographer and let them get on with it, no stress, no worrying – just images.

If you are interested in having a chat about Cosmetics Photography then please get in touch on the contact page or email me on hello@bryonyphotography.com, or if you’re feeling chatty then give me a buzz on Tel: 07792394034

What were your earliest creative influences and interests?

I guess that depends on how early you mean. My mother was very creative, she was an artist, painter and loved all mediums so she was very influential on my very early years. Whilst I was studying I absolutely love the work of David lachapelle and Jill Greenberg – I think the hyper realism of the lighting setups and retouching was what drew me to their work.

How do you keep your photography fresh?

I like to mix up my genres and style pretty regularly. Some photographers like to have a specific lighting style or colour grade that they use and consider it a sort of identity but I like to play around with my visuals and treat it as a way of growing as a professional.

What is the most challenging shot you’ve ever taken?

Oh goodness, I think there have been a handful of projects which stick out as being particularly taxing… but not normally from a photographically technical point of view, more from a logistical standpoint. I had one where I photographed Robson Green for Dunlop Fishing and I ended up having to get fully into a lake with my camera, in waders, up to my waist in water with a pretty strong current it was quite scary. There was another shoot where myself and a videographer were shooting from the same angle from a fuscia pink flamingo lilo in the middle of the sea… about 80k worth of equipment just floating on this tiny lilo… that was a squeaky bum moment. Why are all mine water based? *Laughs*

Getting technical, what’s in your gear bag?

Is it bad if I say a can of coke, some chewing gum, a trashy book and then some beat up equipment? I’m not a gear head. I think gear is important, but I don’t think it makes the photographer. Too many people focus on the gear and not the skill.

I love playing around with 35mm analogue.

What are you working on at the moment?

I have been doing a lot of still life work recently with cosmetic brands. I like working with cosmetics because you can do these tiny, tight lighting setups, and every tiny movement and fine tune has such a huge effect. I feel like its much more considered than when I shoot larger scale fashion stuff where everything is moving, the variables are so numerous and you barely have time to breathe. Working with small still life imagery is intricate like trying to fix a watch.

Can you tell me a bit about how you became a photographer? 

It’s a bit boring really but I studied Visual Communications at Uni, and specialised in photography. Mainly it was all self taught because it wasn’t a photography course. Then once I’d graduated I worked at a company called packshot for a year as a photographer retoucher, and then went on to manage the in-house studios for the Sportsdirect Group. I did that for a long time until I decided that I needed to do something for myself and I went freelance. 

Can you remember your first paid work?

Erm..(sighs).. It was quite a long time ago now, but I think my first ever paid work was assisting on a shoot for ballroom dancing in scarborough, Ha ha ha, that is so random now I’ve said it out loud! *Laughs*

How has your work evolved since then?

I think as a photographer you always have to constantly evolve and learn. Tastes change and fashions are like the tides sweeping in and out so you always have to be on your toes ready to move with it, or you will get left behind. I think I am more accepting now of imperfections within my photography than I was, and I love experimenting with analogue technology and improvised equipment. 

How would you describe your approach to photography?

I would probably say that my approach is very versatile and pragmatic. I am very adaptable so I change my approach depending on the scenario and requirments.

What are you passionate about besides photography? What do you do in your free time?

I love to read, but nothing high-brow; I have tried reading some of the old classic novels and Christ I struggle to get through them, but give me a tacky crime or romance novel and I’m in heaven – especially if there is a glass of wine and a hot bath thrown in there too. I also have just started to re-learn to play the piano, and that is really rewarding, but super tough work.

I’m also a bit of a film whore and consume movies like you wouldn’t believe so…

Bryony, please tell about your work space?

I am a naturally messy person so I would describe my work space as clean but cluttered. I often have a lot of projects on the go at the same time and juggling lots of different projects at one time doesn’t really lend itself to tidying up after yourself, so I end up having big blasts at tidying on a weekend sometimes.